PETALING JAYA: People donate their kidneys to help others in need, not to make ends meet, says Selangor PKR deputy information chief Chua Wei Kiat.

Chua was responding to Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s claim that there were people selling their kidneys to support themselves financially.

"Wan Ahmad should apologise because he's making it seem like giving away one's kidneys is a business transaction and not an attempt to help people in need.

"It paints a bad impression on kidney donors and discourages people from donating their kidneys," said Chua, who is also the Rawang assemblyman.

Chua said Wan Ahmad's claim was also an insult to the many kidney patients who were waiting for new organs to survive.

"In 2022, the Health Ministry reported that Malaysia was among the 10 countries worldwide with the lowest rate for organ donation.

"As of July 27 last year, the National Transplant Resource Centre reported that 10,357 patients were waiting for a new organ from a deceased donor, with 10,261 of those cases involving kidneys," he said in a statement.

Chua added that selling kidneys was a punishable offence in the country and Wan Ahmad should report the incident to the police.

"I challenge you to lodge a police report to prove your claim and not just use the matter for 'political mileage'," he said.

On Monday (April 3), Wan Ahmad said people were selling their kidneys to make ends meet in a bid to illustrate the state of the people’s finances and how another round of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawal was needed.